The AIDAmira, an Italian registered cruise ship carrying mostly German tourists, is docked in Cape Town harbour, and is being quarantined due to several suspected COVID19 cases on board, on March 18, 2020, in Cape Town. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP)
The German government has sent four chartered aircraft to evacuate 1,243 German nationals on the AIDAmira cruise ship in Cape Town.
According to a statement released by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula on Friday, the German government dispatched the four chartered aircraft, with no inbound passengers and only crew on board, for the evacuation mission.
The crew members will not be allowed to disembark the plane. The German nationals will be escorted from the AIDAmira and onto the plane.
“The AIDAmira’s more than 1,700 passengers and crew had not been able to disembark since Monday, 16 March 2020, following the discovery that some of the passengers had come into contact with someone who showed symptoms of the coronavirus,” said Mbalula.
The passengers all tested negative for Covid-19.
According to Mbalula, the timelines of the evacuation will be confirmed by the German embassy. He did, however, confirm that the planes’ permit numbers have already been issued.
News24 tried to contact the German Embassy, but they were not available for comment. Their comment will be added once received.
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